Sugary Sweet
by IceMaidenOfLegend
Summary: Enemies is such a strong word. Perhaps it's a little too strong and, perhaps, two young warriors can open their minds to see what really matters. Perhaps they won't, but it will most certainly be an interesting spectacle to behold.
1. Chapter 1

Sugary Sweet

"Hey," Taruto exclaims, wandering up to Purin.

"Hmm," she frowns, glancing over at him. "It's just you."

He stands next to her, watching her carefully. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I came here to watch the sun set. Just like you came for some sweets," she replies.

"Right," he grins. "So where are they?"

Purin scowls at him. "Be patient,"

"No, not until you give me my sweets!" he snaps, hands on his hips.

"Be patient!"

"Give me my sweets!"

"Be patient!"

"Not until I get my sweets!"

"Patience!"

"Sweets!"

"I want some quiet time!"

"I want my sweets!"

Purin growls; she had been running all day and this is the last thing she needs. Her brothers were ill, and her sister kept trying to avoid her play group even though she was perfectly healthy. It was a hassle to drag her little sister to each and every chemist who were, rather strangely, all out of the medicine she needed. She had to go back home and face the screams of her brothers whilst her sister decided to raid the raid the cupboards. It was all set to end disastrously when her friends arrived, and she was promptly, and unceremoniously, kicked out of her house to unwind and relax. Now that she finally has time to herself, Taruto decides he has a sweet tooth, and no patience.

"Sweets," he whines, growing bored of being ignored.

Purin lets out a high-pitched scream before launching herself at him. A loud yelp is emitted from Taruto as his back hits the hard concrete surface of the rooftop. He blinks a few times before the scene before him sinks in. Purin glares down at him, beating her fists against his chest furiously. He tries to grab her hands to stop her, but she only hits him harder.

He scowls. "Get off of me!"

"You stupid sweet-toothed oaf!" Purin exclaims. "You stupid idiot! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

He opens his mouth to yell at her again, but quickly finds himself unable to say them. The words die before they reach his mouth. He's noticed in the light that there are small glittering sparkles. He doesn't even try to look away from the sparkles as they have captured his attention so wholly. However, one particularly painful blow to his chest re-awakens his senses.

"Selfish, stupid idiotic moron!" she screams.

Slowly, her beatings grow weaker and weaker, slower and slower. Her breath is ragged with her frustration and exertion. She pulls her right hand to her side, noticing that the sweets have fallen from her pocket. She picks them up and flings them towards his face. He uses his arms to shield himself from the impact as best as he can, and when he sits up, he finds that she's ran away.

* * *

Taruto hovers over a bustling city road. There's a pedestrian bridge ahead of him, and he can see Purin's figure sitting against the railing. He moves faster and quickly lands on the opposite side to where she's sitting, huddled against the concrete. Slowly, he walks over to her. Each carefully quiet step is to give him the best chance of escaping her, oddly powerful, fists.

Purin flinches as he draws near and glares up from under her eye lashes. She doesn't want to yell or argue so she lowers her head to stare at the cold ground. He crouches down in front of her, extending his hand. Tentatively, she looks up. He offers her an awkward smile before opening his hand to reveal some of the sweets she had flung at him earlier.

He shuffles nervously. "I, um, wanted to apologise… Um, I… I couldn't eat all of them anyway, so…"

"Thank you," Purin smiles, hearing the honesty in his voice.

He grins, a warm feeling spreading through him. She grins back eagerly and takes a sweet or two from his hand. He takes a few himself and quickly stuffs them into his mouth. She laughs quietly and when he asks why she refuses to answer. He tries to coax her into an explanation a few more times, but not enough times for her to lose patience with him.

Eventually she tells him, laughing all the while. "You've got a very sweet tooth,"

"At least it's only one," he replies, cheerily.

One by one the sweets disappear as they talk on that bridge through the cold, bitter night. Each are kept warm by the other's teasing remarks, stories, and hearty jokes.

**Author's Note: Hello, and sorry for keeping you waiting for this! Now, I want to assure you all something, and it's really very important. You see, I know my stories dip in the middle, and I want to stop that from happening. If you see any signs of the plot failing, or dropping in quality, tell me, please?**

**Also, about the sweet tooth thing, it's not very important, but I like it for an introduction.**

**Another thing, I need to apologise for this, is that I've written this on holiday. I'm working on my book, so my updates will be slower (which is why you've had to wait for this) and I won't upload this immediately. I won't even upload this the moment I get wi-fi, or the moment I return home. It's going to be a few days so I can complete a few more chapters so that if I ever get stuck I'll probably have at least one chapter (of the story) that is available for upload while I get over my writer's block. I also keep a firm upload order, but that falls into disrepute when I've been so busy working on my book. I will follow it again by the time you receive this story on the list of available ones to read.**

**Thank you for your time.**


	2. Chapter 2

Sugary Sweet

Purin races down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her siblings stare as she passes by as nothing more than a blur. A few of them scratch their heads as they exchange confused glances. She hasn't quite been herself since she came back. She had promptly kicked her friends out much like they had kicked her out. As soon as they were gone she had turned to them with a huge smile on her face that, for some reason, scared them out of their wits.

Even now she's still as jovial and bright as when she had first come back. There's a spring in her step and a twinkle in her eyes which wasn't there before. Something has happened and her siblings are determined to find out what. A high-pitched squeal rings out from the kitchen. They huddle together and wait for their seemingly possessed sister to show herself.

However, Purin is having too much fun in the kitchen to show herself to them. She hums a tune that her mother had taught her as she wipes the counter. Every second or two she glances at the sink. Her friends were kind enough to do the dishes and while they were doing so they had uncovered an old recipe. The recipe is for a sweet treat and Purin's sure that Taruto would love some. He hadn't disliked any of the treats that she had given him so far so it seems unlikely that he'll pass up this one.

She smiles vibrantly. After he had given her back some of her sweets and they had talked she had insisted on making up for the sweets he had given her back. She's going to meet with him tonight. They're going to meet at the park. Taruto had said how nice it was to converse with her just as she was starting to leave. He had delayed her return by half an hour. Her friends weren't so pleased but she doesn't regret the extra time away.

Her smile vanishes and she places the rag she was cleaning with down. She loves spending time with him now that he's shown his kind side. Even though it isn't always evident he is a kind person. No matter how many times she insists that she enjoys his company she can't help but feel regretful. His kindness and personality isn't the only reason that she wants to meet with him. She also feels closer to Zakuro when she's near him.

It has been little over three months since she had last seen Zakuro. They had fought and fought to keep her by their side but she was already gone. She was somewhere that none of them could reach. She wasn't the only one who had gone too far away. Kisshu had wholeheartedly followed her into that place of no return. Neither can ever return and since that day Taruto is the only Cyniclon that she had met somewhere other than a battle field.

She can't help but feel like she's using him. She really does love his company.

* * *

Purin wanders into the park. She can see Taruto standing on the top of a newly made fountain. His back is to her as he scans the cityscape. She tightens her grip on the box and hurries over to the fountain. He exudes contentment and she wonders momentarily whether she should disturb him or not. He soon realises that he's not alone and hops down next to her.

His eyes are bright and full of life. She can't help but compare him to a bright eyed child. The comparison becomes even more accurate as he cups his hands excitedly. She opens the box and hands him a warm imagawayaki. He stares at it for a moment before shoving it into his mouth. He takes a huge chunk out of the treat excitedly. He nods frantically whilst muttering with food in his mouth.

She laughs at him enthusiastically. He stops eating for a moment and stares at her. The sound of her laughter resounds in his ears. It takes him a moment or two before he comes back to his senses. He shoves the rest of the imagawayaki down his throat and grins at her. Instead of being surprised or disgusted Purin is relieved. She doesn't usually cook sweet food and she's glad that he likes it.

He grasps her wrist and urges her over to sit on the fountain. She hands him another imagawayaki and takes one for herself. She uses her free hand to skim the surface of the water. Despite her calm appearance her mind is racing with ideas for a water act. She could use her monkey traits to her advantage if she could only get a hold of a hula hoop and a pair of stilts.

"You're a good cook," Taruto comments as he munches on it enthusiastically.

She blinks in surprise. "How did you know?"

He gives her a thumbs up and a cheeky grin. "It's warm and you look pleased with yourself. You're good!"

She laughs. "Maybe I'll make you something else this Thursday!"

Taruto nods elatedly, his eyes shining with mirth. They both fall into a comfortable and easy silence. Their efforts are focused on their snacks but they both enjoy each other's company.

**Author's Note: Hello! How are you readers? I want to reassure you that there will be plot progression and that this isn't just chapter after chapter of snack eating. I'm sorry if you didn't enjoy this – I'm also sorry if I made you hungry with this chapter. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading!**

***** Imagawayaki – It is a Japanese dessert. It is also served in Taiwan under the title of _chēlún bǐng_ or _hóngdòu bǐng_. I believe that it is filled with sweet azuki bean paste (traditionally).


	3. Chapter 3

Sugary Sweet

On a cold, dark night did the world seem to turn on its axis. Breaths misted in the air and hollowness made itself a void. Somehow fate had come to the conclusion that there was too much happiness on Earth and so stole some away to give to a much needier planet. Or perhaps Atlas had tired and grown stiff so he changed positions. It wouldn't be too unreal of a theory as he is carrying the weight of the world.

For the umpteenth time in the last minute Purin sighs. A box of chocolates and cakes are placed next to her elbow – an offering to the customers. No one really knows why she arrived too late and why she brought the box of home-made snacks. Ichigo had tried to joke about Purin trying to take Keiichiro's place but the poor girl hadn't even noticed that she'd been spoken to. It was only a few days ago that she had seemed so light and exuberant.

"I'm worried about her," Retasu whispers.

"Yes," Minto comments, nonchalantly sipping on her tea. "She's barely noticing the customers. We should have assigned someone else to the cash register."

"Thanks for volunteering," Ichigo snaps, pushing her towards Purin. "While you're at it ask her how she's doing!"

Minto stumbles and mutters angrily to herself. She reluctantly goes to take Purin's place and forces a smile when she sees customers getting ready to leave. Irked by Purin's unresponsiveness she prods her in the ribs. It still takes a moment before Purin realises that someone is trying to get her attention.

"Is something wrong?" Purin asks, distantly.

"That's what I was going to ask you. You've been spacing out all day and now I'm going to have to work!" Minto hisses quietly. "… Hello, I hope you had a good time. Here's your change. Thank you for coming… You know, Purin, if you're going to keep this up then you might as well go home!"

"… Go home…" Purin mumbles, as if trying to decipher their meaning.

Automatically, her body turns and starts to walk towards the staff cloak room. Her eyes are dull and her movements are sluggish. She looks like a zombie and in a way she is – her heart has fallen into a state of lifelessness.

* * *

Purin wraps her scarf even tighter around her neck. The night is cold and there's a foreboding touch of frost in the air. She leans over the railings of the bridge to peer at the cars passing below. Despite it being quite late there's still a lot of cars. She tries to be surprised but there's only a sense of loneliness left in her heart.

She forces a laugh but it sounds as hollow as the night is cold. Defeated, she rests her head of her fore-arms. Purin watches as her breath begins to mist. She doesn't know why she's doing it. She can't explain why she's come to such a place. _It isn't because of the memory_, she insists to herself, _it's because I want a quiet place where I can think_. What she really means is that she's looking for a place to forget, which is odd, because she's come to the place where it all began.

Something rattles in her pocket and she mentally scolds herself. She brought sweets with her even though she knows that she shouldn't have. She knew, deep down, that she would stand on this bridge all on her own at a startlingly low temperature in the late hours of the night. She pushes away from the railings and quickly, hopefully, looks at her surroundings – she's all alone.

Purin sighs tiredly. She snatches the sweets from her pocket and throws them at the ground. Then she runs. She runs away from that place with tears brimming in her eyes and doubt tainting her sense of hope. She never really did believe that he could change.

* * *

"Taruto, are you listening?" Pai scowls.

"Yea, yea," Taruto mutters, dully, as he stares up at the glass roof. "I hear you… Bring the Chimera Anima to the park where the person's gonna pay big money for them. I know the plan."

"Make sure you know," Pai retorts, striding away. "We only have a small opening before the Mews discover our intentions.

Taruto waits until Pai has gone before he slumps forward. It wasn't meant to be like that. He doesn't want to fight the Mews anymore. The Mews had proven themselves to be good allies before. When Miyu had genetically mutated animals and stolen Chimera Anima they had teamed up and saved the day. When Kisshu and Zakura had run off and found themselves staring death in the face they made another worthy alliance. When Kisshu and Zakuro were locked in with Miyu…

Taruto shakes his head. He knows well that the past can't be changed; it comes with being stranded on a dying planet. He floats up to the glass roof. There aren't any clouds so all the world's heat is escaping. He sighs and taps the glass tiredly. He'd gladly take on the night for one of Purin's sweets if he could.

He knows that he won't brave Pai's wrath. After all the time that they've spent together he's always been the weak little one. It was always easier when Kisshu was there to stir things up. Kisshu also had a tendency to take Taruto's side in disagreements.

"I'm sorry…"

**Author's Note: Aw, too sad… Although, if you think this is sad you might want to retract that thought. Did I ever mention that I'm more of a tragedy writer? No? Too bad, but, I do think that this can be… No, never mind, I'm not the best of 'happy ending' writers but this will probably be decent. I make no promises so don't blame me if you don't like the kind of ending.**

**Anyway, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I apologise if you didn't.**


	4. Chapter 4

Sugary Sweet

The night is cold once more. Purin remains in her home. There have been numerous calls from Café Mew Mew throughout the day. She's ignored them all. Her heart is not prepared to be chided or berated. Zakuro would be the only one able to infiltrate her home. She pursued Minto once before. However, Zakuro will not return. They all know that.

"I wish I went…" she sighs. "You would have told me what to do… You and Kisshu always knew what to do…"

The night remains silent. There is no miracle to grant her some much needed answers. The loneliness is far more potent than before. She slumps in the chair. Her head _thumps_ against the table. Her sigh resonates throughout the cold and empty room.

She remains in that position for a long time. Her eyes begin to droop with the weight of exhaustion. Purin jolts from her state of almost sleep. She sits upright suddenly. Her hands race to rub her tired eyes. The house feels as though it's shaking. She looks out of the window. Shadows race across the sky.

"Tell me what to do, Zakuro…" she pleads. "Tell me after I've apologised. That's how you work, isn't it? You always promoted working together…"

Her sight grows hazy for a moment. She bites down sharply on her lip. The sudden surge of pain awakens her. She throws her chair aside and races away. The cries of her comrades ring out loudly. The sounds echo in her head hauntingly. Images of their previous battles race through her mind. She imagines them being hurt. She knows that she should have responded more quickly.

Her feet pound harshly against the ground. The coldness burns her throat and lungs. Her right hand searches desperately in her pockets. The Mew pendant evades her. She throws the front door open and charges out. She leaps up onto the wall surrounding her home. Her eyes race to the battle a few streets away.

"I'm coming!" she yells.

A small crowd has gathered. They turn to look at her. Just before they discover her identity she clasps the Mew pendant. She kisses it, initiating her transformation. She runs into the battle. Her comrades are fighting with all they have. She intends to do the same. She summons her Puring Rings. The closest Chimera Anima is immobilised.

"Purin!" Minto exclaims in annoyance. "You're late!"

She ignores Minto. She doesn't want to be reminded of why. Her days of moping, she tells herself, are over. She doesn't intend to be like that ever again. She forces her emotions behind a wall. She spins around, arms extended and flailing wildly.

"I'm fine! I won't leave you!" Purin grins widely.

A roar reverberates around the area. A huge beast of a Chimera Anima charges at them. Large tusks point outwards. The crazed gleam in its ruby eyes send alarm bells ringing. Purin flees from its path. She takes the opposite direction to that of her comrades. She trips and falls.

The tarmac scrapes her knees. Blood sprouts from the wound. She stands, ignoring the pain. The Chimera Anima's back is facing her. Its elongated spiked tail swishes with alarming speed. The spikes almost strike her. She grasps her Puring Rings when a bolt of lightning rains down next to her. She looks up to find more bolts heading her way.

"Stop!" she cries, running from them.

"I would have thought that you had realised," Pai murmurs, his monotonous voice edged with curiosity. "Our alliance is over. It died with Kisshu and Zakuro!"

The bolts of lightning double in strength and quantity. Purin clutches her head and runs away. Her feet take her by instinct alone. She flees from the battle. The bolts follow her down three streets before vanishing. Pai is nowhere to be seen. She continues down her path regardless.

It leads her to a small park. She used to frequent it as a child. Her mother used to take her. She hasn't been since the last time her mother had taken her. The urge to see it gives her strength. She peers in to find lush grass and luscious trees. Her hand races to cover her mouth. She can do nothing to stop her tears.

"Purin?" he flinches at the sight of her.

Taruto looks as he always has. His expression is of shock and unwitting innocence. She could stand to have Pai break their alliance. She could understand him. However, after what had happened with Taruto she was sure that he was different.

"You…" she whimpers.

"This is… I…" he turns to her; genuinely upset. "Let me explain. I-"

"Go away! Don't taint this place! Don't ruin my memories!" she screams. "Why do you have to destroy everything? You're all so cruel! You deserve to have no home!"

The aftermath of her words resounds. She doesn't realise what she's set in motion. The reality is all too real for Taruto.

**Author's Note: Yes. I thought it was time for some action. I also thought it was time to place the wedge. I want to see how they surpass this obstacle just as much as you, my dearest, beloved readers, do. I make it up as I go along! I usually work chapter by chapter by sometimes two or three chapters in advance. By the time that you see this, the next chapters should have already been completed.**

**I apologise for my hiatus. I have health problems, social problems, personal issues and then some. I'm better now. Thank you for reading my chapter. I thank you for your loyalty to my fanfiction. I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter. Please accept my apologies if you were less than satisfied.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew. This plot is my intellectual property and nothing more._


	5. Chapter 5

Sugary Sweet

Taruto is still. Purin's words are ring loudly in his ears. His chest feels constricted. He can barely breathe. The wounds created by her words are the worst that he's suffered on the battlefield.

A great shock rocks his body with shooting pain following swiftly behind.

"Taruto, wake up,"

He looks over to his right. Pai glowers at him momentarily. His gaze softens as it returns to the Chimera Anima in his hands. His work is his sole love. He's made that perfectly clear numerous times. For the first time Taruto envies that mentality. He averts his gaze to the ceiling. Jealousy is an unwelcome reminder of why he feels that way.

He throws the covers off and pads over to his comrade. A vow is made in the depths of his mind – _I will never let those filthy humans take what good I have left_. His deep glower attracts Pai's attention. He seems startled at first. The sudden change is without warning. He gladly accepts what has happened.

"We have a new deal to make," Pai exclaims. "There is rumoured to be Blue Aqua. It's in a place that the Mews will never reach in time to stop us."

* * *

A sea urchin floats past Taruto's face. He pulls a disgusted face at the small sharp creature. He places his hands on his hips and glances around disparagingly. A dark shadow falls over him. His head snaps up to find a large creature floating over him. It leaves soon enough.

"Stuck here in the stinkin' Caribbean," he grumbles. "Looking for Blue Aqua that might not be here…"

Memories of Purin flash through his head. He shakes to rid himself of her image. He wants nothing more to do with her. Her voice, her image, her lingering presence in his mind is all unbearable. The memory of their last encounter haunts him mercilessly.

"Go away!" he screams. "Leave me alone!"

Her image only grows more vivid. Her voice becomes more and more clear. Imaginary Purin smiles at him warmly. For a moment he forgets her words. He forgets his anger. He forgets his mission. He forgets being her enemy. For a moment he wants to return her smile.

Reality crashes down. It hits him hard. He growls to himself. His arms cross as though he's in the midst of a tantrum. He turns around to abandon his search for the day and a glimmer of blue catches his eyes. He backtracks and peers at the area once more. It gleams again. He hurries over to it.

"Blue Aqua," he grins, clutching at it desperately.

* * *

The sun shines down on the warm Caribbean beach. The sandy shores are oddly deserted. Several news helicopters fly overhead. They broadcast the strange alien lying on the sand. His eyes are closed. He can be seen to be breathing. Most speculate that he's fallen asleep.

He's not. Taruto can feel coldness of the helicopters moving before the sun. He can hear the loud-mouthed crowds. The buzzing of the strange vehicles machines is impossible to ignore. He remains still, however. He isn't ready to leave the warmth yet. He wants to think back to his home world the way it was meant to be. He wants to remain in a world where nothing had happened: a world where he hadn't met Purin.

If they had never met then they would never have parted. He wouldn't be suffering from the remembrance of her words. His chest wouldn't constrict when he thinks of her. He thinks of her too often. He wouldn't have been lied to. That's all their time together is to him, a lie. He can't think of her as a heroine. She's slowly destroying all that he is.

A flurry of sand races over him. He lurches upright; coughing and spluttering violently. His eyes sting with sand grains. However, he knows the figure of the person standing before him. He trembles fearfully and slowly rises to his feet. His arms are held aloft in submission.

Pai scowls. "What do you think you're doing?"

Taruto huffs in exhaustion and irritation. "I want to enjoy the breeze. This place is too hot!"

Pai grasps the youngster by the shoulders. He lifts Taruto above the ground and the two promptly vanish. They leave nothing on the sandy shores of the Caribbean.

"Argh!" Taruto cries out.

He sits upright and rubs his back. The cold walls of their hideout tower above him. He looks to Pai, pouting miserably. The hard Blue Aqua digs into his lower back painfully.

He glowers. "What was that for?"

Pai responds immediately. "You've exposed us to the world. Our work cannot continue as it has before. Those Mews will be on our trail once more,"

Taruto turns his gaze away. He doesn't want to see Purin; the proof of that is in the bubbles of toxic rage exploding in his chest. However, a softer side to him, barely even existing, longs to see her one last time. That kinder side to him is too easily overlooked and ignored.

He huffs and throws the Blue Aqua at his leader's feet. "Take it. I'm going for a walk,"

Pai obeys. He turns the precious stone over in his hands. His tensions run away from him for a luxurious instant. His mind is filled with the endless possible uses. Then, from nowhere, flashes an image of his former friend. Kisshu's laughter echoes for a long moment, conjuring dreams of peace. Pai suppresses the memory and the sound.

The door slams and he watches it for a moment, muttering quietly. "One day you'll thank me,"

**Author's Note:** Wow! I didn't write an author's note at the time? Never worry, it's fine. I promise that I'm better. Even if it's just slightly. Right now I'm all over the place, but it's okay. You may have to deal with a slight drop in quality. That's all. I can always come back and edit it if you tell me what to focus on!

Thank you for reading. I hope that you enjoyed my piece. I apologise if I have disappointed you.


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